#public humiliation

The Kerala High Court has held that intentional public humiliation of a Scheduled Caste student by a teacher constitutes a heinous act under Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (POA) Act, rendering anticipatory bail inapplicable. This ruling reinforces that institutional caste-based abuse, even without physical violence, triggers the Act’s strict bail bar - sending a clear signal to educational institutions and public servants.

The Punjab & Haryana High Court ruled that anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the BNSS cannot be granted if the accused actively participated in an act of public humiliation that escalated to death, even without direct fatal involvement. The court emphasized that custodial interrogation is justified to preserve investigative integrity in cases involving grave consequences.